inflate (ɪnˈfleɪt
)
Definitions
verb
- to expand or cause to expand by filling with gas or air ⇒
she needed to inflate the tyres
- (tr) to cause to increase excessively; puff up; swell ⇒
to inflate one's opinion of oneself
- (tr) to cause inflation of (prices, money, etc)
- (tr) to raise in spirits; elate
- (intr) to undergo economic inflation
Alternative Forms
inˈflatedly adverb inˈflatedness noun inˈflater inˈflator nounWord Origin
C16: from Latin inflāre to blow into, from flāre to blowSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
exaggerate,
embroider,
embellish,
emphasize,
enlarge,
magnify,
overdo,
amplify,
exalt,
overstate,
overestimate,
overemphasize,
blow out of all proportion
aggrandize,
hyperbolize,
Usage examples
`The chuckwalla can wedge itself into a crevice and then inflate its body.
, The Secret of the Forgotten City (1979)It may not even have had time to inflate the airbags intended to cushion its landing.
New Scientist (2004)Many others either inflate pension returns or mask the true burden by assuming artificially high rates of return on pension investments.
Globe and Mail (2003)They were told to inflate their prices to cover a kickback of 10 %.
Times, Sunday Times (2004)In the `normality' of recent years, he had had fewer opportunities to inflate his ego with such metaphors.
, Franco (1993)